They call it brutal, I call it unfortunate

[Discipline of Steel]

Possible broken neck for Huber. I feel bad but its a rough game. Second guessing in these split second instances is BS. [URL]http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2013-12-16/bengals-punter-kevin-huber-broken-jaw-broken-vertebrae-nfl-reviewing-hit-fine-penalty-garvin?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl2%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D420411[/URL]

[birtikidis]

I was reading yesterday that they think that he had an old hairline fracture. This article is just more of the same.

[BradshawsHairdresser]

Wonder how long until we hear Rog & co. talk about banning punt plays? They're already wanting to do away with kick returns...

[papillon]

It looked like a good block to me, he initially hit him in the chest and the follow through (so to speak) caused his helmet to hit Huber in the jaw. Man, I hope he's okay, a fractured vertebrae isn't anything to mess with, it probably will end his career.

It's a violent game; I can't fathom why anyone would want to play the game with the size and speed of today's athletes.

Pappy

[NorthCoast]

It looked like a good block to me, he initially hit him in the chest and the follow through (so to speak) caused his helmet to hit Huber in the jaw. Man, I hope he's okay, a fractured vertebrae isn't anything to mess with, it probably will end his career.

It's a violent game; I can't fathom why anyone would want to play the game with the size and speed of today's athletes.

Pappy

it's called money and fame... when you are young, you are invincible. even though the block was clean, i would expect him to receive a hefty fine.

[squidkid]

it's called money and fame... when you are young, you are invincible. even though the block was clean, i would expect him to receive a hefty fine.

and the fact that most of these guys arent qualified to do anything more than bag groceries

[Moonie]

and the fact that most of these guys arent qualified to do anything more than bag groceries

Sadly true. You watch interviews with these guys and wonder if most of them don't have significant learning disabilities. They can barely find the words to express the programmed responses they are trained to give.

[Slapstick]

Sadly true. You watch interviews with these guys and wonder if most of them don't have significant learning disabilities. They can barely find the words to express the programmed responses they are trained to give.

And when we do find a player who can, like Baron Batch, he becomes the board's whipping boy...

[hawaiiansteel]

[hawaiiansteel]

NFL: Steelers' hit on Bengals' Kevin Huber was penalty

By Dan Hanzus
Around the League Writer
Published: Dec. 17, 2013

Kevin Huber's season came to an abrupt and violent end Sunday night when the Cincinnati Bengals punter was leveled by a block during an Antonio Brown touchdown return.

Dean Blandino, the NFL's vice president of officiating, has confirmed what had been speculated upon: Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Terence Garvin should have been penalized for the vicious hit.

"Huber, he's a punter. And the key is he's defenseless throughout the down," Blandino said Tuesday on NFL Network's "NFL Total Access." "So even though he's pursuing the play, he still gets defenseless-player protection. You can't hit him in the head or neck, and you can't use the crown or forehead parts of the helmet to the body."

On the play, Garvin lines up Huber then goes up high, driving his helmet under the punter's facemask. Huber suffered a broken jaw on the play and might have cracked a vertebrae. He's been placed on injured reserve.

"This is an illegal block. It should have been a flag for a 15-yard penalty," Blandino continued. "You'll see the close-up where you can see the contact to the head or neck area. So this will certainly be a point of emphasis this week, especially with our referees who are responsible for the punter on plays like this.

"We have to watch the punter, he's defenseless," Blandino added. "And we want to flag hits like that."

Garvin can safely assume a FedEx envelope will be sitting on his locker stool in the near future.

[URL]http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000300186/article/nfl-steelers-hit-on-bengals-kevin-huber-was-penalty[/URL]

[Slapstick]

NFL: Steelers' hit on Bengals' Kevin Huber was penalty

By Dan Hanzus
Around the League Writer
Published: Dec. 17, 2013

Kevin Huber's season came to an abrupt and violent end Sunday night when the Cincinnati Bengals punter was leveled by a block during an Antonio Brown touchdown return.

Dean Blandino, the NFL's vice president of officiating, has confirmed what had been speculated upon: Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Terence Garvin should have been penalized for the vicious hit.

"Huber, he's a punter. And the key is he's defenseless throughout the down," Blandino said Tuesday on NFL Network's "NFL Total Access." "So even though he's pursuing the play, he still gets defenseless-player protection. You can't hit him in the head or neck, and you can't use the crown or forehead parts of the helmet to the body."

On the play, Garvin lines up Huber then goes up high, driving his helmet under the punter's facemask. Huber suffered a broken jaw on the play and might have cracked a vertebrae. He's been placed on injured reserve.

"This is an illegal block. It should have been a flag for a 15-yard penalty," Blandino continued. "You'll see the close-up where you can see the contact to the head or neck area. So this will certainly be a point of emphasis this week, especially with our referees who are responsible for the punter on plays like this.

"We have to watch the punter, he's defenseless," Blandino added. "And we want to flag hits like that."

Garvin can safely assume a FedEx envelope will be sitting on his locker stool in the near future.

[URL]http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000300186/article/nfl-steelers-hit-on-bengals-kevin-huber-was-penalty[/URL]

That's a load of crap....

Another instance of the NFL punishing noisemaking...

[Discipline of Steel]

Why is a punter defenseless when hes running to make the tackle like everyone else?

[Slapstick]

Why is a punter defenseless when hes running to make the tackle like everyone else?

Agreed. I would appeal on this basis...

[steelsnis]

Golic was going CRAZY about this on Mike & Mike this morning.

[Sugar]

The Bengals fans down here are going crazy because they believe that this "illegal play" cost them the game. It doesn't have to make sense- they're Bengals fans.